Expanding and retracting hair curler



Sept. 23, 1958 BRANCACCIQ I 2,853,080

v EXPANDING AND RETRACTING HAIR CURLER Filed April 20, 1955 o my // Z-'2 jpp a: pg 4/ v IN VEN TOR. filz ere firaflcaccz'o xi BY ATTD RN EYEUnited States Patent EXPANDING AND RETRACTIN G HAIR CURLER SilvereBrancaccio, Washington, D. C.

Application April 20, 1955, Serial No. 502,674

11 Claims. (Cl. 132-42) Thisinvention relates to hair curlers of theexpanding and contracting type wherein a hair curling rod is formed withtwo substantially semi-cylindrical sections and wherein means isprovided in the rod for expanding the cross sectional area thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an expansible hair curler inwhich the parts are retained in assembled relation without screws,bolts, or other mechanical fastening means.

This application is an improvement over my copending applications, onebeing filed April 6, 1953 with the Serial No. 347,060, now U. S. Patent2,758,605, for a Cold Permanent Wave Rod, and the other filed October 7,1953 with the Serial No. 384,723, now U. S. Patent 2,753,874, for anExpanding Hair Curling Rod, the present application adding asemi-cylindrical tongue on the end of one section of the rod that isinserted in a similarly shaped recess in a collar on the end of theother section for retaining one end of the body together, and an elasticcord extended through registering slots in the opposite ends of thesections for retaining the opposite end of the rod assembled.

Various types of expansible hair curlers have been provided; however, ithas been found difficult to connect the parts of an expansible curlerwithout using projections that catch in the hair and without using partsthat are removable from the rods. Where parts are removed from the rods,they are readily dropped and misplaced and where hair catches inelements of the rod customers object to use thereof.

With this thought in mind, this invention contemplates an expanding andcontracting hair curling rod having cams on a shaft extended into thebody thereof and in which the parts are secured together with a cordextended through slots in the elements at one end of the rod and inwhich the parts or sections are held at the opposite end with asemi-cylindrical tongue extended from one section and nested in a collarof the other section, the cord being adapted to be held in slots in ahead on the end of the cam carrying shaft, at the end of the rodopposite to that in which the cord receiving slots are positioned.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an improvedexpansible hair curling rod in which the expanding elements are embodiedin a rod of conventional design.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hair curlingrod wherein an elastic cord extended longitudinally over the outersurface of the rod is adapted to actuate a cam or a plurality of camswithin the rod for permitting the sections of the rod to contract.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an improvedexpansible hair curler in which sections of the curler are adapted to beexpanded and contracted with either rotary or sliding action of a cam orof a plurality of cams within the curler.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved expandingand contracting hair curling rod having 2,853,080 Patented Sept. 23,1958 expanding means therein in which the rod is of a simple andeconomical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionembodies a hair curler formed with two substantially semi-cylindricalsections each having a concave outer surface and with a shaft carryingcams thereon extending longitudinally between the two semi-cylindricalsections whereby the shaft on being drawn outwardly expands the rod andwhen the shaft is moved inwardly the sections come together whereby therod contracts. A cord extends through slots of the sections at one endof the rod and is adapted to be snapped into slots through a head on thecam carrying shaft at the opposite end of the rod, said opposite end ofthe rod being retained in assembled relation with an arcuate sectionextended from one of the sections nested in a similarly shaped recess inthe other section and with the sections of the rod retained in assembledrelation at the opposite end of the curler by the elastic band whichextends through registering slots of the sections retaining the hairwrapped on the curler and also retaining the curler nested against thesurface of a head.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description, taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved hair curling rod showing the rodwith the parts assembled.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the rod, taken on line 22 ofFigure 1, also showing the parts assembled and showing sections of therod contracted.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the improved curler or rodshowing the end in which the parts are retained in assembled relation bythe cord.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the opposite end of the rod, takenon line 4-4 of Figure 1, showing the arcuate shoulder or tongue extendedfrom one section of the rod nested in a recess in the opposite section.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the curler takensubstantially on line 2-2, such as of Figure 1, illustrating amodification wherein a single cam is provided on a sliding shaftextended longitudinally into the rod whereby upon drawing the cam andshaft to the position illustrated in Figure 5 the intermediate part ofthe curler is expanded.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the rod illustrating anothermodification wherein a plurality of cams are provided on theintermediate part of the rod and wherein the rod is formed with acomparatively thin perforated shell.

Figure 7 is a cross section through the rod shown in Figure 6 beingtaken on line 77 thereof.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section through a curler, also similar tothat shown in Figure 5, illustrating a curler having three cams on thesliding or rotating shaft and showing a band for retaining hair on thecurler instead of the cord.

or rod illustrating a further modification wherein the cam carryingshaft extended longitudinally through the rod is retained in positionwith a flat band which is also of resilient material.

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section through a portion of one end of the.curler showing means for anchoring the elastic cord or band in slots ofthe sections of the curler.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts, the improved hair curling rod of this inventionincludes an elongated body having a lower section 10, an upper section11, a semicylindrical tongue or shoulder 12 extended from one end of thesection 11 and adapted to be positioned in a similar shaped recess 13 inone end of the section 10 with a clearance permitting slight transversemovement,

a shaft 14 having cams 15 and 16 on the intermediate part and a head 17having right angularly positioned slots 18 and 19 therein extended fromone end, and a cord 20 having knobs 21 and 22 on the ends retaining hairwrapped on the curler and also for holding the curler against thesurface of a head and being adapted to be positioned with one endextended through a slot 23 in the section 11 and a slot 24 in thesection 10 and wherein the knob 21 is positioned in a recess 25 at theend of the slot 23. Slight transverse movement is also permitted betweenthe sections 10 and 11 at their cord attaching end.

The lower or base section 10 is provided with perforations 26 andsimilar perforations 27 are provided in the upper section 11. The innersurface of the section 10 is provided with a longitudinally disposedrecess 28 which is semi-circular in cross section and the inner surfaceof the section 11 is provided 'with a similar semi-circular recess 29which, with the parts assembled, provides a circular opening in whichthe shaft 14 is positioned.

The lower section 10 is provided with an enlarged area 30 with inclinedsurfaces 31 connecting the area 30 to the recess 28, the area 30providing a cavity for one side of the cam 15, and a similar enlargedarea 32 with inclined surfaces 33 and 34 at the ends is provided in theopposite end of the section whereby a cavity is provided for one side ofthe cam 16. The inner surface of the upper section 11 is provided withan area 35 similar to the area 30 and an inclined surface 36 similar tothe surface 31 at one end and also an area 37 with inclined surfaces 38and 39 at the opposite end, the area 35 providing a cavity for the upperside of the cam 15 and the area 37 providing a similar cavity for theupper portion of the cam 16.

With the parts assembled as illustrated in Figure 2, the cord 20, whichmay be elastic or formed of a conventional cord, is removed from theslot 18 in the head 17 of the shaft and with the head 17 drawn outwardlywhereby the cams 15 and 16 expand the curler hair is wrapped on thecurler transversely from one end to the other with the tips of thestrands gripped by the knurling or serrations as indicated by thenumeral 40 on the surface of the intermediate portion of the curler orrod and with the hair so wrapped on the curler until the'curler reachesthe surface of the head of a customer whose hair is being curled, thecord 20 is drawn along the curler with the portion upon which the knob21 is positioned retained by the knob in the slots 23 and 24 and withthe opposite end inserted in one of the slots 18 and 19 whereby uponrelease of the knob 22 at the end of the cord the cord draws the shaft14 into the curler thereby releasing the expanding means and permittingparts of the curler to contract. By this means tension of the cord 20retracts the shaft 14 drawing the shaft into the body of the curler andpermitting sections thereof to contract relieving tension of hairwrapped around the rod and retained in position thereon by the cord andsecuring the curler against the head.

In the design illustrated in Figure 5, a similar rod having sections 41and 42 with a semi-cylindrical tongue 43 extended into a similarlyshaped recess 44 of the section 41 is provided and in this design asingle cam 45 carried by a shaft 46 with a knob 47, similar to the head17, on the outer end, and the sections 41 and 42 of the curler areprovided with recesses 48 and 49 that are positioned to receive the cam45 when the curler is contracted. With the head 47 drawn outwardly tothe position shown in Figure 5, the sections 41 and 42 are spread by thecam 45 and after hair is wrapped on the curler the head 47 is forcedinwardly, by hand or by the tension of'a cord 50, simliar to the cord20, whereby the cam 45 passes into the recesses 48 and 49 permitting thesections of the curler to contract, The end of the cord 50 is providedwith a knob 51 and the knob is positioned in a recess 52 of the section42 with the cord extending through the slots 53 and 54, similar to theslots 23 and 24 of the design shown in Figure 2. By this means theshaft, which extends from one end of the curler, is actuated to expandand contract sections of the curler with a single cam, whereas in thedesign shown in Figure 2, the shaft is provided with two cams and in thedesign illustrated in Figure 8 a shaft 55 is provided with a pluralityof cams such as the three cams 56, 57 and 58.

The curler illustrated in Figure 8 is, otherwise, similar to that shownin Figure 2 except that the shaft 55 is provided with a button 59 havinga post 60 extended therefrom and a head 61 which extends from theopposite end of the curler is provided with an annular groove 62 inwhich an end 63 of a cord or strap 64 is positioned.

The end 63, which is provided with an opening 65, is adapted to expandto stretch the opening 65 over the head 61. In this design asemi-cylindrical tongue 66 on the end of a section 67 extends into arecess 68 in ar-follar on an end 69 of a section 70, similar tothe/section 10, and the opposite end of the section 67 isprovided with asemi-cylindrical stud 71 having a flange 72 at the end thereof which isadapted to nest into a recess 73 in the head 61 and the stud 62. Thesections 67 and are provided with cavities 74 in the section 70 and 75in the section 67, similar to the cavities 30 and 32 of the section 10and 35 and 37 of the section 11 whereby the cams are adapted to snapinto the cavities to permit sections of the curler to retract and arealso adapted to be drawn longitudinally to expand sections of thecurler.

The end 76 of the strap or cord 64 is provided with an additionalopening 77 to provide adjustment in the tension of the strap and an eyein the end 76 is adapted to be drawn over the post 60 extended from thebutton 59 on the end of the shaft 55 to positively secure hair on thecurler and also to retain the curler in a nested position against thesurface of a head on which the curler is used.

In the design illustrated in Figure 9, a base 78, similar to the base orsec-tion 10, is provided with a recess 79 for receiving a tongue 80which is substantially s'emicylindrical in cross section and whichextends from a section 81, similar to the sectionll, and the sectionsare retained in assembled relation with an elastic band 82 having loops83 and 84 on the ends.

The loop 83 of the band 82 is adapted to be positioned in a recess 85,similar to the recess 25, with the band extended through a slot 86 inthe section 81, similar to the slot 23, and also through a slot 87 inthe section 78 and similar to the slot 24. The opposite end of theelastic band on which the loop 84 is positioned is adapted to befrictionally held in slots 88 of a button or disc 89 on the end of ashaft 90 similar to the shaft 14. The shaft 90 is provided with a cam ora plurality of earns 91 that are adapted to coact with cavities 92 inthe sections 78 and 81 whereby pulling the shaft 90 outwardly aotuatesthe cam to spread or expand the sections and forcing the shaft inwardlysuch as by placing the end 84 of the band 82 in one of the slots 88 withthe band in tension permits the sections to contract.

In the section shown in Figure 10, the end of an elastic band or cord 93is secured in .a counterbore 94 in the inner end of an opening 95through an inner section 96, similar to the section 11, and with a ballor knob 97 onthe end of the cord positioned in the counterbore or recess94, the outer portion of the band is adapted to be drawn through a. slot98 in a section 99, similar to the section 10, whereby with the end ofthe cord positioned in the opening 95 and extended through the slot 98the sections of the curler or rod are temporarily retained in assembledrelation.

It will be understood that the end of the cord or band may be arrangedas illustrated in Figure 2 or as illustrated in Figure 10, as may bedesired.

In the design illustrated in Figure 6, a section 100, similar to thesection 10, is provided with a collar 101 on one endand a correspondingcollar 102 on the opposite end and a complementary section 103, similarto the section 11, is provided with a tongue 104 that extends into anopening 105 of the collar 102 thereby providing means for retaining oneend of the section 103 in one end of the section 100. The opposite endof the section 103 is provided with a substantially semi-circular collar106 that is complementary to the collar 101 and with the parts assembledan elastic band 107 is positioned over hair on the assembly with an eyeon one end extended over the collar 102 and with an eye on the oppositeend stretched over the semi-circular sections 101 and 106 of the collarextended from the end of the body of the curler.

The curler illustrated in Figure 6 is provided with a a shaft 108, theintermediate part of which is provided with cams 109 and 110 and one endof which is provided with a knurled disc or knob 111. The sections 100and 103 are provided with perforations, as indicated by the numerals 112and 113, respectively. The shaft 108 is also provided with a collar 114which restrains longitudinal moizernent thereof.

With th s assembly of elements, an improved expansible hair curling rodis provided in which, with the parts expanded, hair is adapted to bewrapped around the curler and with the hair in position thereon and withthe curler against the surface of the head of a customer the shaft ismoved inwardly permitting the sections to contract thereby relievingtension in hair wrapped on the curler making it possible for hairtreating solutions to penetrate more rapidly through the hair. The shaftis adapted to be moved inwardly by hand, however, upon application ofthe elastic cord or strap through slots of the head or post at the endof the curler the tension of the band draws the shaft inwardlypermitting the sections to contract and relieving tension in hairwrapped on the curler. I

By this means lotions are permitted to penetrate throughout the hairwrapped around the curler or rod coming into contact with all strands ofhair in the lock.

The semi-cylindrical tongue, such as the tongue 12, extended into therecess 13 in one end of the curler coacts with the cord 20 in the slots23 and 24 at the opposite end, wherein the ends of the rod are securedin assembled relation.

In use, for example, by referring to the curler in Figures l and 2, theplunger head 18 is pulled outwardly thereby expanding the two parts and11 making up the curler body. A tress of hair to be curled has the endthereof placed against the serrations 40 at the central part of thecurler rod and then by manipulation of the fingers of the operator, thetress of hair is wound on the curler so that the curler with the tresswound thereon is in a position against the head. At this point therubber cord is extended from one end over the tress of hair and the freeend of the cord is secured in the slots 19 provided in the head 18 ofthe plunger and the plunger is moved inwardly whereby the parts 10 and11 contract together releasing the tension created in winding the lockof hair. The cord extending from one end of the curler to the otherholds the tress of hair wound on the curler and secured against the headfrom unwinding.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of theappended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the partswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A hair curling rod comprising a section substantially semi-circularin cross section and having a longitudinally disposed recess in theinner surface extending throughout the full length thereof, acomplementary section also substantially semi-circular in cross sectionand also having a longitudinally disposed recess in the inner surfaceand extending throughout the full length thereof, said sections beingadapted to be assembled to provide a substantially cylindrical body,means for retaining the sections in assembled relation, a shaft having acam thereon extended between the sections and adapted to be actuated toexpand the sections, and a cord extended through aligned slots in eachof the sections at one end of the curling rod and adapted to befrictionally held at the opposite end of the rod.

2. A hair curling rod comprising an elongated substantially cylindricalbody formed with a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical sections witha tongue at the end of one section adapted to be positioned in a recessin the end of the other section and with both sections havinglongitudinally disposed substantially semi-circular recesses in innersurfaces thereof, a shaft having cams thereon extended through thesemi-circular recesses and adapted to project at one end of the body,said shaft having a head with slots therein extended from the end of thebody and said sections having registering slots therein and said slotsbeing positioned at the end of the body opposite to that from which thehead of the shaft extends, and an elastic cord adapted to be positionedwith one end retained in the slots at one end of the body and with theopposite end adapted to be frictionally retained in slots of the head ofthe shaft at the opposite end of the body.

3. A hair curling rod comprising an elongated substantially cylindricalbody formed with a pairof substantially semi-cylindrical sections with atongue at the end of one section adapted to be positioned in a recess inthe end of the other section and with both sections havinglongitudinally disposed substantially semi-circular recesses in innersurfaces thereof, a shaft having cams thereon extended through thesemi-circular recesses and adapted to project at one end of the body,said shaft having a head with slots therein extended from the end of thebody and said sections having registering slots therein and said slotsbeing positioned at the end of the body opposite to that from which thehead of the shaft extends, and an extensible cord adapted to bepositioned with one end retained in the slots at one end of the body andwith the opposite end adapted to be frictionally retained in slots ofthe head of the shaft at the opposite end of the body, said shaft beingadapted to be actuated to operate the cams to expand the sections of thebody.

4. In a hair curler, the combination which comprises an elongatedsubstantially cylindrical body having a concave outer surface andincluding a pair of sections substantially semi-circular in crosssection, one of said sections having a substantially semi-cylindricaltongue extended from one end and the other section having a similarlyshaped recess positioned to receive the tongue for retaining thesections in assembled relation at one end of the curler, said sectionshaving registering slots at the opposite end of the curler and a recessin communication with the slot of one of the sections, an elastic cordhaving knobs on the ends positioned with one end thereof extendedthrough the slots of the sections and with the knob in the recess at theend of one of the slots, the opposite end of the cord being adapted toextend longitudinally of the curler, inner surfaces of the sections ofthe body having longitudinally disposed recesses with enlarged areastherein, and a shaft extended through the curler between said sectionsand having cams thereon positioned to register with the enlargedsections of the recesses, and said shaft having a head with slotstherein extended from one end of the body and positioned to receive theextended end of the cord, said shaft being adapted to be actuated toexpand the body of the curler.

5. A hair curling rod comprising an elongated substantially cylindricalbody formed with a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical sections witha tongue at one end of one section adapted to be positioned in a recessat one adjacent end of the other section, said recess receiving saidtongue for slight movement transverse to the longitudinal axis of saidcurling rod, both of said sections having means at their other adjacentends for holding those ends together also for slight movement transverseto the longitudinal axis of said curling rod, both of said sectionshaving longitudinally disposed substantially semi-circular recesses ininner surfaces thereof with at least one cam surface in each section anda shaft having a cam thereon extending between the sections to projectbeyond an end of the rod and adapted to be actuated at said projectingend so that the cam thereon cooperates with the cam surface on eachsection to move the sections transversely to the longitudinal axis ofthe rod and thereby expand the curling rod and permit the sections tomove transversely toward each other.

6. A hair curling rod according to claim wherein said other end of eachof the sections has a registering slot therein and including an elasticcord adapted to be positioned with one end retained in the slots andholding said sections yieldingly together for slight transverse movementunder action of said cam and adapted to be secured at the other end tothe projecting portion of said shaft, said cord when secured beingadapted to hold a lock of hair wound on said rod.

7. A hair curling rod according to claim 6 wherein said shaft is movablelongitudinally to cause said cam sections to move transversely apart andtogether.

8. A hair curling rod according to claim 5 including an elastic strapsecured at one end about said other adjacent ends of said sectionsthereby biasing them toward each other and having the other end thereofadapted to be secured to said first ends of the sections and said shaft8 being rotatable so as to rotate said cam to cause said sections tomove transversely apart and together.

9. A hair curling rod according to claim 5 including means connected tothe rod for holding a tress of hair wound thereon.

10. A hair curling rod according to claim 5 including cord means havingone end thereof connected at one end of said curling rod and connectableat the other end with said shaft projecting from the rod.

11. A hair curling rod according to claim 5 including cord means havingone end thereof connected to said projecting shaft and the other end ofthe cord connectable with the end of the rod opposite from the plungerprojecting end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS l2,395,965 Grant Mar. 1946 2,415,586 Grant Feb. 11, 1947 2,421,287Reininger May 27, 1947 2,474,449 Whyte Juje 28, 1949 2,565,673 Yven etal Aug. 28, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 627,628 Great Britain Aug. 12, 1949943,038 France Sept. 27, 1948

